Railroad turn-table safety mechanism.



C. H. QUINN.

RAILROAD TURN TABLE SAFETY MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11. I916.

1,244,21. v Patented Oct. 23,1917.

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o m 2 ,8 ,8 22 B m /2 25 as /5 5 l I 25 30 /7 o Hg. 20 25 E] E7 (Q w 6II 5 m w a citizen of the United States, residing at CHARLES 'I IQQUINN,or ma n r, VIRGINIA- RAILROAD TURN-TABLE sarnrr ncnAnIs /n Specificationof Lett rs Patent.

ratenteaoet. 2a, 1917.

I Application filed August 17, 1916. Serial No. 115,549.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. QUINN Roanoke, in the county of Roanokeand State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Railroad Turn- Tablo Safety Mechanism, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to turntables such as used forturning locomotivesand cars, and the object thereof is to means for preventing railwayvehicles running off the end of a lead track and drop ping into theturntable pit at such time when the bridge track is out, of registrywith the lead track, and to prevent workmen and others from steppinginto the turntable pit.

The invention consists of the formation, combination and arrangement ofparts as will be herein describedand finally claimed.

In the drawings. Figure 1 is a plan view showing a turntable fitted inaccordance with the present invention. F ig. 2 is a vertical-sectionalview taken through the turntable pit, this section being takenapproximately on the center line of the pit,

I but with the turntable itself in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a vertical-sectional view taken adjacent the derail-actuatingmechanism and substantially on the line -3'3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is apartial plan view showing an alternative arrangement of the vehiclederailor stop in the lead track.

Referring to these drawings, the circular turntable pit is shown at 5and there is disposed within thisthe passageway or bridge 6, which iscarried on the customary center pivot 7 Such turntables are suppliedwith some means for their rotation, either for hand or power use, amotor cab 27 being shown and a driven tractor wheel 28 for drivingcooperation with the concentric rail 26 onthe floor of the pit. Thus thebridge is capable of assuming any diametrical position across thecircular pit. The bridge 6 carries a car track 8 and one ormoreexternal. lead tracks 910 lead up tothe turntable pit and end inpositions where the bridge track may be brought into registry with themso as to provide a way of entrance to or exit from the bridge 6.

It frequently happens that rolling stock is pushed out of one of thelead tracks when the bridge track is out of registry with the lead trackand the vehicle may then be run off" into the pit, causing seriousdamage.

matically moving provide safety as on the floor of the pit 5.

The invention is directed in part to means,

for preventing such accidents. To this end I provide in a lead track aderailing mechanism, or stop such. as shown in the track 10..-Thisconsists of an obstruction 11 so set as to normally prevent tral'lictoward the pit 5. I then provide means for autothis stop :or derail awayfrom the rail so as to permit trafiic toward the pit and this shiftingof the derail is controlled-by the bridge 6 in such mannerv that thederail will be moved as stated only when the bridge track is in registrywith the particular lead track. r

The derail may. preferably be moved by means of an air cylinder 12supplied with airunder pressure from a source 13. A

three way valve 14:; is located in the line so that inone position theair from 13 will be at mitted to the cylinder 12 and when in the otherposition the air from 13 will be shut off and the-cylinder may exhaustand the piston thereof retreat so as to allow the derail. to seatagainst the rail.

The three-way valve '14: is. preferably operated by means of a magneticswitch 15 suitably wired at 16 and 17 to contacts 18 and 19 located atany suitable place such The bridge. 6 thencarries a shoe or contactor 20which the switch 15. Thus at the proper time the derail will be removedand traflicmay move toward the pit 5. A suitable switch 29 may, belocated in-the wirin so as to cut out the operation of the mechanismwhenever desired. f

On leaving the bridge it is not desirable that the bridge remain inregistering positionuntil thelast wheels of the vehicle have passed thederail, hencethe derail is so con structed that trafiicmay at all timesmove unhindered away from the pit. A spring switch stop or derail suchas shown in Fig. lor a spring switch turn-outsueh as shown in Fig. 5 ispreferably used, the derail in the first instance either stopping. thevehicle or landing the same on the ground and in the second instanceswitching it to another track.

The spring 21 for the derail may be located in the connection 22 betweenthe piston of the air cylinder 12 and the derail and serves to allow thevehicle wheels to spring the stop away from the rail when traveling awayfrom the pit. lhus has been provided safety means to prevent vehiclesdropping into the pit. lhere remains to provide means to prevent workmenfrom stepping into the same, and in my mechanism this consists of acircular guard or rail 23 which surrounds the pit and is attached to androtates with the bridge by means of any suitable braces such as 24;.This guard has a suitable opening to allow entrance to the bridge ateach end, these not interfering with the safety feature, as the bridgeplatform is usually flush with the surface around the pit. The guard 23is preferably carried on wheels or rollers 25 which run on theconcentric, circular, motor track 26 on the bottom of the pit and nearits edge. and the guard rail is also preferably made with some verticalflexibility with respect to the bridge so as to allow tilting of thebridge and for irregularities in the track, braces .Zet being hingedlyconnected so as to allow tiis vertical flexibility.

l have thus described an embodiment of my complete invention. It will berecognized that other embodiments are possible within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

W hat I claim is;

1. In a turntable arrangement, a movable bridge carrying a car track, atrack external thereof and leading thereto, means for moving the saidbridge into a position to bring the two tracks into registry, a traflicstop in the external track and normally blocking the same againsttraffic toward the bridge, a source of power and means for moving thesaid stop, an electric circuit, means carried by the bridge for breakingthe said circuit when the said tracks are out of registry and forcompleting the circuit when the same are in registry, and a magneticswitch in said circuit controlling the application of the power to thesaid stop-moving means in such manner that the power will be admitted toclear the said lead track when the said electric switch is magnetizedand will be shut off to block the lead track when the electric switch isdemagnetized.

2. lln a turntable arrangement, a movable bridge carrying a car track, atrack external thereof and leading thereto, means for moving the saidbridge into a position to bring the two tracks into registry, a tra'fiicstop in the external track and normally blocking the Copies of thispatent may be obtained for same against traflie toward the bridge, asource of fluid pressure and a fluid-pressure motor for moving the saidstop to clear the lead track, an electric circuit, means carried by thebridge for breaking the said circuit when the said tracks are out ofregistry and for completing the circuit when the same are in registry,and a magnetic switch in said circuit controlling the admission of thefluid pressure to the said fluid-pressure motor, the parts being soformed that fluid pressure will be admitted when the magnetic switch ismagnetized and cut off when the same is demagnetized.

3. In a turntable arrangement, a circular pit, a bridge pivoted thereinand centrally therewith and forn'iing a rotatable,diametrically-disposed, passageway across the said pit, and a guard railencircling the said pit and carried practically by the said bridge androtatable therewith, the said guard rail being cut away at the ends ofth said bridge, there being additional means within the pit cooperatingwith the bridge to support the said guard rail, the latter beingsupplied with supports adapted to engage the additional supportingmeans.

4t. In a turntable arrangement, a circular pit, a bridge pivotedcentrally therein and forming a diamctrically-disposed, rotatablepassageway across the said pit, a guard rail encircling the said pit andcarried by the said bridge and being rotatable therewith, a runway raillaid in a circular path concentric with the said pit, and wheelssupporting the said guard rail and traveling on the said runway rail.

5. In a turntable arrangement, a circular pit, a bridge pivotedcentrally therein and forming a diametrically-disposed, rotatablepassageway across the said pit, a guard rail encircling the said pit andcarried by the said bridge and being rotatable therewith, a runway raillaid in a circular path concentric with the said pit, and wheelssupporting the said guard rail and traveling on the said runway rail,the said guard rail being secured to the said bridge in such manner asto allow verticalflexibility therebetween.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. QUINN.

Witnesses:

Roy K. BROWN, JOHN P. For.

five'cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. b.

